Hurricane Simon, a massive Category 4 storm, pounded Mexico's Pacific coastline on Sunday, October 12, with life-threatening effects expected. The centre of the storm swirled parallel to the coast, closing in on the Puerto Vallarta area, a popular tourist spot.
Winds and rain expected overnight
The most damaging winds and rain were expected to hit around midnight and continue through Monday morning. It remains unclear if the hurricane will make landfall, according to the US National Hurricane Center, which could enable it to maintain its dangerous strength, sustaining winds of 140 mph (220 kph).
By midday Sunday, the eye was moving within about 65 miles (100 kilometres) of Cabo Corrientes at about 7 mph (11 kph).
Direct hit likely on west-central coast
Phillipe Pappin, a senior hurricane center specialist, said this westernmost tip of mainland Mexico is the area most likely to get a direct hit from the system.
"We're expecting catastrophic wind and life-threatening storm surge impacts along that west-central coast of Mexico where the hurricane warning is currently in effect," Pappin said.
Flooding and mudslide risks
"They're also getting very heavy rainfall associated with the storm that's likely going to produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides in areas of higher terrain along the Mexican coastline, and there will be significant swells," he added.
